Carex caryophyllea Lat.
Vernal sedge
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Liliopsida Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass Commelinidae Dayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
Order Cyperales Flowering plants including grasses
Family Cyperaceae Sedge family
Genus Carex The “true” sedges
Species caryophyllea Probably walnut-leaved
About plant names...
The Carex genus (sedges) comprises some 1100-2000 species, many of which are very
difficult to distinguish. All Carex IDs here are very dubious at this time. For example,
these might be Carex halleriana.
Identification: Plants are 4½-12″ (12-30 cm) high. Stems are
roughly triangular in cross section. Leaves are grasslike blades less than 1/32-⅛″ (1.5-3 mm) wide. Flowering
tops, about 1″ (2.5 cm) high, are black at first, flowering in yellow. They are among the earliest plants
to flower in the spring. They are often found in human-disturbed areas.
Online References:
Chestofbooks.com
Wikimedia Commons
Skye Flora
The USDA Plants Database
EFloras
4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm) ID is uncertain
4/21/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain
4/17/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain
4/27/2013 · Bemis Rd, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm) ID is uncertain
4/21/2013 · Crow Hill Trail, Leominster State Forest, Leominster, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain
4/21/2013 · Crow Hill Trail, Leominster State Forest, Leominster, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain
Carex caryophyllea description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm) ID is uncertain
4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 3 × 4½″ (7.9 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain
4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.2 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain
4/27/2013 · Bemis Rd, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 13″ (22 × 33 cm) ID is uncertain
4/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain
4/17/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm) ID is uncertain
Range:
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